Betrayed and Befriended
by Daenir
Summary: An ex-Thalmor operative was to be executed at Helgen Keep. But he escaped before he ever arrived. Now he has vowed to reap vengeance on the Thalmor for their betrayal. This is not just any ex-Thalmor though. He has friends in few places but they all have reasons to hate the Thalmor. He is Dovahkiin and he is coming for them.
1. The Great Escape

As I opened my eyes I was blinded by the radiant white light of the morning. It was a cold morning, the crisp mountain air was chilling me to the bone. I was being shaken softly side to side by the wobbling lurch of the wagon I was riding in. It would have been a beautiful Frost Fall day were it not the day I was sentenced to die.

My hair was long and oily, my beard scraggly and unkempt. My clothes were filthy and ragged. My skin was dirty and I hadn't had the opportunity to bathe in several days. I was an altogether unpleasant soul. I was but a mere shell of the formerly proud and somewhat arrogant Thalmor operative I once was. I was the greatest of us. I was unstoppable! I was unconquerable! I was a god!

But they betrayed me, those bastards betrayed me! I was Lady Elenwen's right hand! I had the guards of half a dozen holds in my pocket! But all because of one botched job. One mistake on my part was all it took. One time I didn't get the correct information from a prisoner. It only ever happened once. But one mistake, one misstep, and I cost seventeen Thalmor operatives their lives...

* * *

_"Fine! I'll tell you! Just outside Falkreath! They've taken over Peak's Shade Tower!"_

_"And how many are there?" I calmly asked the prisoner reaching for my elven dagger which had been soaking in a foul concoction nearby._

_"There are seven of them. Three archers, two mages, and two soldiers."_

_"Alright then. You've done a great service for your country." I said as I sliced his abdomen from left to right with the poisoned dagger._

* * *

"Hey elf, looks like you're awake." Said a fair-skinned nord dressed in the stormcloak soldier's garb sitting across from me.

"I'm not much in the mood for the idle conversation and witty banter you thick-skulled barbarians like. If i'm going to die today I would prefer for my last moments to be spent in silence." I angrily told the nord.

The last moments of the ride were spent in silence as I thought out how I would escape from my captors and reap vengeance on the Thalmor. As I sat in silence for several moments I began to formulate a plan. It was approximately fifteen meters to the treeline. I could make that in about twelve steps. There was one man driving the wagon. Two men in the wagon about ten meters ahead of this one. At least one was an archer. It would take him about three seconds to aim and fire. It would take me two seconds to jump out of the wagon and four seconds to run into the cover of the trees. No way I could make it without becoming a pincushion. I would need a distraction. It is very good thing I have some basic knowledge of illusion magic. If I cast a fury spell on the man driving the wagon he would try to kill us all and the other guards would kill him. I decided I should tell the others so I would at least have a bit of arrow fodder should the need arise.

"I take it none of you want to be here. So if you wish to leave follow me!"

I whipped around to my left and hit the guard escorting us with a fury spell. He drew his sword and ran towards the other guards. I jumped out of the back of the wagon and ran into the trees. The three nords followed me. There was something about one of them, he was wearing a fur coat and possessed an air of authority. The one that I insulted earlier seemed to be a soldier. The third had no distinguishing features.

As I sprinted through the forest I heard the sounds of pursuit. There were two men yelling at each other. It seemed as if my distraction had been eliminated. We kept running and we finally began to slacken our pace. But as we did so one of the nords took an arrow in the middle of his right triceps. Then two more slammed into his back and he dropped to the ground stone dead.

"Over here!" I yelled to the nords.

We hid under a rock outcrop covered by a curtain of ivy.

"Everyone alright?" I asked feigning concern.

"Fine." Said the nord soldier.

I conjured up a spectral sword and sliced off everyone's bindings.

"Ready to go?" I asked the nords.

"Let's go." Said the one in the fur coat.

We ran out from under the overhang and saw several soldiers around us. They hadn't noticed us so we tried to sneak past them. However the soldier stepped on a rotten branch and alerted them. I rushed forward and split one of the soldiers open. The nord soldier ran forward and grabbed the fallen soldier's sword. He rushed forward and began to tear through their ranks, forcing a way out of the circle they were drawing us into.

"Come on!" He yelled at us.

The nord in the fur coat ran out before me.

"I'm not going to die today you bastards!" I yelled at the imperials.

I sprinted away and put down a fire rune behind me as I ran. I heard the explosion and several screams. I turned back to look and then suddenly there was no ground to step on.

I tumbled down the steep slope trying to protect my head as I rolled. The back of my skull smacked against a rock. My vision blurred and tears filled my eyes. I tasted something sour. It was an almost metallic taste. I continued to tumble endlessly smashing my ribs and chest against stones sticking out of the ground. I finally stopped rolling and I tried to assess the damage. My head was pounding. I put my hand up to where I hit it against the rock and my fingertips were smeared with blood. Every time I inhaled waves of pain surged through me. I believe that I had cracked a rib or two. I forced myself to my feet and immediately doubled over and vomited. I had a minor concussion.

I forced myself to stand up straight again almost collapsing due to pain. I began hobbling away when I heard the bark of war dogs behind me.

"Dammit! I can't catch a break today!" I screamed.

It was a mistake. I saw the dogs come over the rise of the hill I just tumbled down. I kept hobbling until I came to a cliff. It was approximately one hundred meters down into a lake below. I turned around and saw the dogs closing in on me incredibly quickly. It was either be torn apart by dogs or drop into the water below and possibly die.

I jumped off the cliff and it felt as if my innards entered my throat. I fell about twenty meters when I hit a ledge jutting out from the cliff face. I shattered all of the bones in my right leg. I screamed in agony and fear as I fell. I hit the water below and I felt a explosion of pain from my useless leg and ribs. As I slowly sunk into the frigid water my mind drifted away into an inky black cloud of despair and misery as I realized today really was the day I was going to die.

* * *

_"Today is not your day altmer." _I heard a godly voice remark. _"You have more important things to do in this life."_ The voice was deep and rich. It was a resounding boom that filled my body with light and warmth. It was the most beautiful feeling in the world.

_"Who? Who are you?"_ I tentatively asked the voice. I have never been so humbled in my life as I was the moment I was spoken to by this celestial being.

_"All in due time. For now you have things to do. Sleep well my son, for you have a long and arduous journey ahead of you." _

I slowly drifted away into a deep slumber. It was as if I was a child being cradled in his mother's arms. In this case the cradle was that amazing sensation of warmth that had filled my body when the being first spoke to me.

* * *

I awoke in a small rundown shack out in the wilderness somewhere. I sat up quickly and noticed that I didn't hurt anymore. However I did notice two things. One there was an old woman sitting in a chair across from me. And two, I was completely naked. I quickly covered myself as best I could with a tattered blanket that lay nearby, but there were more holes in it than I had expected. Let's just say the old woman had seen the Serpent Stone that morning.

"Who are you? I asked the woman.

"My name is Anise and who might you be?" She replied. Her voice sounded gravelly and rough.

"Uh... my name is... Ancano." I lied to Anise. I saw no point in revealing my true identity to her.

"Well it is my pleasure to look at you Ancano." Said Anise.

Color flooded my cheeks and I felt waves of embarrassment rush through me.

"Uh well... uh... do you know how I got here?" I asked her meekly.

"Oh I found you on the river bank. You looked hurt so I brought you here and fixed you up." Anise told me.

"Well did you find me naked?" I asked Anise.

"No." Anise replied.

I did not like the way this conversation was going.

"Well did you have to take my clothes off to heal me?" I hoped that it was why I was naked.

"No."

"Well tell me why i'm naked!" I demanded.

Anise just smiled at me.

"Alright thanks for healing me now goodbye!" I yelled as I began to run away from the shack.

"You don't ever run from a witch you coward!" Screamed Anise as she started spouting flames from one hand and sparks from the other.

I dived behind a barrel just in time for the flames to scorch my hair. I began to think of a way to defeat this witch. As soon as I try to run she will burn me alive. I have no weapons or clothes. All I have are a few spells. I know Fury, Flames, Fire Rune, and Frostbite. I came up with a plan. Not a very well thought out plan but a plan all the same. I cast a fire rune just above the barrel and started running. I could feel Anise's magic burning me, a thousand flaming tongue's licking away at my bare back. I turned right and Anise's magic aimed towards me. The magic activated the fire rune and the resounding explosion destroyed one of the shack's walls. I heard Anise scream and I turned around and saw a flaming body laying on the ground. There was a reek of charred flesh and burning hair. The stench caused my eyes to brim with tears. I decided I had to search her house for any clothing or supplies.

I entered the ruined shack and began to search. Upstairs had nothing substantial and I was about to give up on my search until I felt the floor give slightly under my foot. I looked down and saw a trapdoor. I opened it and descended into the bowels of the shack. Inside there was an alchemy lab and an arcane enchanter. On the enchanter was a small iron dagger.

"Well... It will work for now." I said as I grabbed the dagger. I felt a little bit more secure with a weapon in my hands. I gave the room one last look and saw a spell tome for the spell Healing. I read it and the began trying to heal my burns. I won't ever be a master of the Restoration school of magic but I did the job not too sloppily. I also found some rough woolen undergarments and linen pants and shirt. I put those on even though they were incredibly uncomfortable. I stood up feeling multitudes better and exited the cellar.

* * *

An hour or so later I arrived at the small settlement of Riverwood. It was a humble little backwater near the border between Whiterun and Falkreath holds. The people were nice enough. I was walking out of the Riverwood Trader when I heard yelling.

"Ralof? Ralof is that you? Ralof!" I heard a woman's voice yell. A woman with honey blonde hair whose name was Gerdur was yelling at someone entering the town. I turned and saw to my surprise the soldier who had escaped from the imperials with me. The man in the fur coat was nowhere to be seen.

"Gerdur! I have much to tell you sister!" Exclaimed Ralof.

I decided to slip away into the inn before the Ralof could notice me. I quickly walked over and ascended the steps to the inn. But it just so happened I managed to step on the town drunk's foot. He was a nasty old nord by the name of Embry. Embry usually wasn't violent but today he was particularly drunk and to him stepping on his foot was the equivalent to challenging to a fight.

"You damn elves... *hic* You... You think you are better than everyone else. Well... *hic* C'mon then... I wouldn't mind kicking an elves ass today." Embry was in a rage.

"Excuse me?" I asked him.

What is wrong with these nords? By this time a small crowd had gathered around the little scene.

"You damn elves!" Yelled Embry as he swung a wild unfocused blow at me. I easily pushed his fist away with my right arm and sunk my left fist into his abdomen. It was a mistake on my part. Embry collapsed on me and vomited down my back. I pushed his crumpled form away from me and he fell unconscious on the front porch of the inn. Everyone looked at me in surprise. Embry might not be violent but he was known to be able to take a hit. Who was this mysterious high elf that is in our town?

I began to walk into the inn when I heard a familiar voice.

"Hey stranger, turn around." Commanded Ralof.

I took a deep breath and turned around.

"By Ysmir it is you!" Exclaimed Ralof who rushed forward to embrace me then thought better of it considering I was covered in vomit.

"It's me." I said.

"Everyone!" Yelled Ralof. "This elf is the reason I am here today! Without him I would be at the end of the executioner's axe!" Now speaking only to me. "What is your name by the way. I don't think you ever told me."

"My name is..." I said trying to decide whether or not to reveal my true identity to this man. I decided it would be alright to reveal myself. "My name is Daenir."

At that moment a wounded imperial came through the front gate.


	2. A Warning

I was the first to reach the imperial. Seeing as how I was the only high elf in the town and therefore the tallest person with the longest legs I arrived several seconds ahead of the others.

"Who are you? What happened?" I asked the imperial as I tried to help him with my Healing spell. It was a fruitless effort because his wounds were too terrible for me to heal.

The imperial said something but I couldn't make it out.

"What?" I asked as I leaned closer to him.

"Al...du...in..." The imperial said quietly. He let out one last shuddering breath and died.

Ralof was standing over my shoulder.

"What did he say?" Ralof questioned me.

"He said something about Alduin. Does that mean anything to you?" I asked Ralof. At the mention of this Alduin all the nords began to panic. Children were ushered inside and adults watched the skies fearfully.

"Alduin? Are you sure he said Alduin?" Asked Ralof. He was panicking and looking around wildly as if he feared an attack of some sort. "This is terrible, this is terrible."

"Excuse me but who or what is this Alduin?" I asked Ralof.

"Damn elves not paying attention to the legends." Said Ralof. He was vigorously chewing on his lip and when he opened his mouth to speak his teeth were bloodstained.

"What legends? And why is everyone here going trollshit!?" My voice was raising unintentionally due to anger.

"Alduin is why! Alduin, Bane of Kings, The World Eater!"

"What is Alduin?" I asked not having any prior knowledge about the subject.

Ralof grabbed me by the front of my shirt. His voice was a mere whisper.

"Alduin is a dragon."

"A dragon? Dragons are long gone." I said stupidly.

Ralof drew his arm back and was swinging his fist towards me when I saw proof that the people weren't insane. I heard screaming and looked up. I saw a huge charcoal gray serpent fly over the town. It was also at this moment that Ralof struck me on the jaw and knocked me out cold.

* * *

I awoke about five minutes later laying in the street with a chicken pecking at my head. I pushed it away and looked around. Things were beginning to return to normal around the town. Alvor was pounding away at some steel, Faendal was hauling firewood, and Embry was drunk. Another fine day in Riverwood. Or it would be if Ralof hadn't knocked out one of my teeth.

I stood up and looked around for Ralof. Nobody paid any attention to me. It seemed that within five minutes I had become a part of the landscape. But that was the way it was in small villages. One minute people pay attention to something strange then the next they are back to the day to day.

However nice these people are Ralof crossed the line and that meant blood. I looked and saw Ralof standing on the front porch of the Sleeping Giant. The Sleeping Giant was a small inn. The proprietor was a steely-eyed older woman by the name of Delphine. Delphine was getting up on years although you couldn't tell by the way she handles herself. She was as fit and strong as a woman half her age.

I began to jog towards Ralof. There was a rage in me. One I have felt many times in my life albeit in a different form. Ralof was completely ignorant to my intentions. He stood talking to Embry and drinking mead.

"Ralof!" I screamed the nord's name to draw his attention.

"What do you need, elf?" Ralof calmly asked me.

"I need you to come down here so I can kick the shit out of you!" I was furious and I intended to teach Ralof a lesson.

"Alright then elf, if you want a fight you've got one." Ralof sat his bottle of mead on the porch railing and descended the steps.

It took approximately thirteen seconds for Ralof to put me flat on my back in the mud.

"Are you satisfied elf?" Ralof said to me as he stuck out a hand to help me to my feet. I took it and attempted to pull him to the ground with me. Hopefully I would be able to catch him by surprise and beat him. But sadly that was not the case.

Ralof saw it coming though and instead of me pulling him down he pulled me up. He flung me onto my feet as if I was as light as a feather. I was taken by surprise so I didn't expect Ralof's forehead to smash against my nose. And I didn't expect to feel hot blood clog my throat as it flowed down from my now broken nose. I began to choke on it. I rolled over and began coughing to clear my throat. Ralof hauled my to my feet.

"Are we done yet elf?" Asked Ralof. He seemed content to continue knocking me on the ground for the rest of the day. I decided I had to hit the man at least once before this was over.

"Sure, sure we're done." I gasped as blood flowed freely from my nose. Ralof started to turn away and I decided now was the time to act.

"Hey!" I screamed at Ralof and threw myself upon him. We were launched several feet and landed on the steps of the Sleeping Giant. Ralof and I swung at each other repeatedly and for the first time that day I gave as good as I got. Ralof stood up and shoved me away. I tried to rush him before he regained his footing. Ralof reached toward his bottle of mead. I saw it coming towards me out of the corner of my eye and after that point I don't remember anything else of that day.

* * *

I woke up in what I later found out to be Hod and Gerdur's home. They had me tied down with some thick strips of leather. Instantly I thought to make sure I wasn't naked. I have been a little bit paranoid about that since the incident with Anise. I also realized my nose was no longer broken. Someone in the town must have some knowledge of restoration magic.

"Well it's about time you woke up." A female voice said. I looked over and saw Gerdur.

"What in oblivion? Why am I tied to a bed?" I asked Gerdur.

"We weren't sure how we were going to react when you woke up so we tied you up."

"What do you mean how I would react? Ralof swung first!"

Gerdur was silent.

"Just let me go and I will leave. I won't return to your crummy little town unless it is urgent. Deal?" I began pleading with the woman. There was no need for me to be here anyway.

Gerdur considered it for a moment and decided.

"Deal. But you have to send word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun. Tell him about the dragon and that we need aid."

"Okay."

"Good." Gerdur cut the bindings with a small iron dagger. "Now off with you!"

* * *

I arrived in Whiterun late the next afternoon. Other than a small confrontation with a thief there were no problems on the journey. I was approaching the city gate in my new studded imperial armor and hood that our thief friend so generously donated when the guards outside the main gate stopped me.

"Halt, city's closed with dragons about. Official business only." The guard said in a thick accent.

"I have news from Riverwood. A dragon was spotted nearby."

"Go on inside."

As I entered the city immediately to my right was a smithy. I made a beeline for it. Unusual for an altmer I don't use much magic. The only magic I really use is from the illusion school.

I needed some better weapons if I was going to confront the Thalmor. This iron dagger was not doing me justice. I approached the blacksmith. She was a woman by the name of Adrienne Avenicci. After some bartering I bought quite a bit of leather, some steel ingots, iron ore, and an enchanted iron war axe with soul trap. I crafted a full set of leather armor minus the helmet, a steel sword, and a steel dagger.

With my new gear in hand I walked behind the building. Once there I began to change into my new leather armor. I was pulling the cuirass down over my shoulders when heard the ringing hiss of a blade being pulled from it's sheath.

I pushed the cuirass up over my head and I swung it towards the sound. It smacked against my attacker and I dived for my sword which was leaning up against the back wall of the smithy. I hadn't had enough leather to make a sheath for it yet. It was this fact that saved my life. My attacker, who I now realize is a woman, jumped towards me swinging a dagger in a deadly arc towards my head. I thrust my sword forward and it sunk deep into her chest. Blood flowed down the hilt and along my arm onto my torso. Her hand was still clenched on the dagger and gravity made her arm swing down towards me. The dagger lightly brushed my face but it was so sharp it still left a gash deep enough to cause blood to well up to the surface. I shoved her body off of me and then I stood up. After I pulled my blade out of her chest I searched the body for evidence. On her body was a note which I promptly began reading.

_Nurida-_

_Your contract is to kill off an ex-Thalmor Justicar by the name of Daenir. He is on his way to Whiterun, intercept him on the road if possible. If not make sure there are no witnesses. He's not the typical altmer though. He has almost no magical skill at all. He is not particularly skilled with weapons either. He was more of a torturer at the Thalmor Embassy than a soldier._

_He's a master alchemist though so don't eat or drink anything other than supplies you packed. He is extremely vigilant so expect a small scuffle, but nothing you can't handle._

_Elenwen wants this poor fool dead; we have already been paid for this contract. Failure is not an option._

_-Astrid_


End file.
